Pole setter



w. E. THIERMANN 3,112,037

POLE SETTER Nov. 26, 1963 Filed Oct. 11, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. Mule/n E. Fumemnmv AMJPMAM ATTORNEY ,1963 w. E. THIERMANN 3,112,037

POLE SETTER Filed 001;. 11, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. )Vmuam E. Timaewmm/ Nov. 26, 1963 w. E. THIERMANN 3,112,037

POLE SETTER Filed Oct. 11, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Q I II |1 27 1| I], I" 48.55 I 2a 35 3/ 49 5/ 64 2 6 67 M 53 I I z 63 I 30 29 9 :5 39 .55 52 50 I 7' .59 I I p 34 43 w a 4/ 6 59 INVENTOR.

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A rraelvsxs United States Patent Ofiice E l i263? Patented Nov. 26, 1963 3,112,637 POLE SETTER William E. Thiermann, Thiensvilie, Wis. Filed Oct. 11, 196i Ser. No. 61,963 7 Claims. (Cl. 2143) This invention relates to a pole setter.

Telephone and power transmission line poles, etc, are conventionally set by derrick-equipped motor trucks in areas accessible to the motor trucks. in areas not accessible to such motor trucks, it has heretofore been standard practice to manually transport and set the poles. A crew of as many as twelve men has in the past been required to transport the pole to its desired location and to manhandle the pole with pike staffs and the like in order to set it upright in its ground hole. This is not only time consuming and wasteful of manpower, but is dangerous in that the pole may fall and injure anyone under it.

According to the present invention poles may easily be transported and set by a small crew (two or three men) with equipment which will transport the pole over areas not accessible to derrick-equipped motor trucks and which will set the pole upright in its ground hole with the minimum of manual effort and complete safety to operating personnel.

The pole setter of the present invention is easily disassembled after the pole setting operation has been completed so that the several parts of the device may be stored compactly in a motor truck after the pole has been erected. The pole setter of the present invention combines a transport dolly which is used to transport the pole to the hole and a pole jack used to elevate the pole. The jack uses the dolly reach as a reaction arm and the dolly as a rolling reaction fulcrum in the course of setting the pole.

Other features, advantages and objects of the invention will appear from the following disclosure in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pole setter embodying the invention shown with a pole supported thereon in its position for transport of the pole over the ground.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the pole setter in the course of setting the pole into its hole.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation showing successive further positions of the pole setter and pole as the pole is set.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the pole jack section of the pole setter.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4, the pole being omitted from this view.

FIG. 6 is an end elevation of the pole jack section of the pole setter.

FIG. 7 is a cross section taken along the line 7--7 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a cross section taken substantially along the line 8--8 of FIG. 7 showing the eccentric tightener in relaxed position.

FIG. 9 is a cross section similar to FIG. 8, but showing the eccentric tightener in tightened position.

The pole setter of the present invention is illustrated herein in connection with setting a pole i2 in a hole 13 prepared therefor in ground 14. The pole setter of the present invention will handle all conventional poles. In experimental use, poles as long as sixty feet and weighing as much as 2,000 pounds or more have been set easily by the pole setter.

As shown in FlIG. 1, the major components of the pole setter comprise a dolly 15 which desirably has four wheels 16 upon which the dolly is stable, both laterally and longitudinally. The specific details of the dolly per se are generally immaterial to the present invention. In the particular embodiment thereof shown in the drawing, the dolly has a medial frame member 17 which is desirably tubular and which may consist of telescopic sections to permit longitudinal extension of the dolly Wheel base. Mast 13 projects upwardly from the frame member 17 and has an upwardly projecting pin 21 for the support pivota'lly on a vertical axis of an upwardly open pole support cradle 19. The cradle arms have rollers 20 along which the pole 12 can easily be shifted when the pole is in its horizontal position for proper balancing and positioning thereof.

The pole setter further includes a reach arm 23 supported at one end on the dolly l5 and at its other end on caster wheel 44. Arm 23 is detachably fastened to the mast is by clevis arms 24 on which the arm 23 is sivingable in a vertical plane on pintle 25.

The end of reach arm 23 remote from the dolly 15 and over caster wheel :4 is provided with pole jack apparatus including a vertically tiltable pole carrier frame 26, which, in the embodiment herein disclosed, comprises a medial box section frame beam 27 having longitudinally spaced sets of upwardly diverging cradle arms 28 against which the pole 12 may be clamped by chains 29. The mode of attaching the chains to the arms 28 is generally immaterial. For purposes of exemplification herein, one of each pair of arms 28 is provided with a book 30 into which an appropriate link on the chain 29 is releasably engaged. The chain is fastened at one end to the eye 33 of a tightener which comprises a screw jack 32 having a crank arm 31.

In its horizontal transport position as shown in FIG. '1, the pole is positioned longitudinally of the pole setter with the butt end of the pole spaced from the pole carrier 26 a distance equal to the depth of the hole 13- plus a sufiicient additional distance to keep the wheel 44 out of ground contact when the pole has been set, as is shown in full lines in FIG. 3. The chains 29 are then tightened by jack 32 to clamp the pole securely to the carrier 26.

The frame beam 27 of the carrier 26 is pivotally connected to the pole jack on a pintle 35 which spans across laterally spaced pole jack bracket arms 36 which have their major portions below the arm 23. The arms 36 are disposed respectively at opposite sides of the arm 23 and have elbows 34 welded at 37 to a slip collar 38 into which the end of the reach arm is releasably fitted. A key pin 39 spans diametrically across the collar 38 to receive diametrically oppositely disposed axial slots 49 which run out in the end of the reach arm 23. Accordingly, the reach :arm can be engaged with and withdrawn from the collar 38 to assemble and disassemble the arm with respect to the collar.

The bracket arms 36 are spanned beneath reach arm 23 by an anchor pad 43' for caster wheel 44 which may swivel on bearing 41, thus to rollably support the end of the reach arm 23 to which the carrier 26 is attached.

The bracket arms 36 of the pole jack are suspended from the reach 23 on straps 45 secured by welding or the like at 4.6 to a slip collar 47 through which an intermediate portion of the reach arm 23 is threaded.

The pole carrier 26 of the pole jack is provided with power-operated extensible means for tilting the pole in the course of setting it. The preferred embodiment comprises a pair of hydraulic motors S9 pivotally connected to the bracket arms 36 on pins fill. The motors 59 have extensible pistons 63 pivotally connected to the frame beam 27 0f the carrier on the cross pin 64. The motors 59 may conventionally be pressurized by a convention-a1 power operated hydraulic pump (not shown) or by a hand operated hydraulic pump 65 (FIG. 2) connected to the motors 59 by the hose 66. As best shown in FIG. 7, the hose 66 connects through a junction coupling 67 to the lines 68, 69 to each motor 59.

The dolly and pole jack assembly are held in assembly with the reach 23 under the tension of struts 48 which are pivotally connected to the ears 54 of the pole jack assembly on pins 49, links 54 and rock shaft 53. The

ends of the struts 48 near the pole jack assembly are desirably suspended from reach arms 23 on straps 55 which hang from slip collar 56 through which the reach arm 23 passes.

The opposite ends of the struts 48 pass through tubular ears 57 which are welded against the sides of the clevis arms 24, as is best shown in FIG. 2. The ends of the struts which project through and beyond the tubular ears 57 are threaded to receive locking nuts 58.

As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, rock shaft 53 is provided in ears 54 with eccentric bearing disks 51 on which the links 50 may be shifted slightly longitudinally of the reach arm when the rock shaft 53 is turned, thus to apply tension to the rods 48. The end of shaft 53 has a fixed nut 61 over which a wrench may be fitted to act as a lever. The shaft also has a stop projection 62 which stops against cross tube 42 when the rock shaft 53 has been turned to strut tightening position. The relaxed position of the eccentric tightener is shown in FIG. 8. In the tightened position thereof, the shaft 53 passes over center so that tension in the struts 43 locks the tightener in position and biases the stop 62 against the tube 42.

By throwing the eccentric ti ghtener to its position shown in FIG. 9, the struts are tightened, thus to hold the parts unitarily in assembly. To disassemble the parts, the eccentric tightener is thrown to its position in FIG. 8, thus to slack the struts 48. Nuts 58 are now unthreaded from the struts 48 which are then free to be withdrawn from the tubular ears 57. Nuts 52 may also be removed from the threaded pins 49 (FIG. 7) to detach the tension rods 48. The reach arm 23 can then be withdrawn axially from the collars 38, 47, 56 and the pin 25 can be withdrawn from the clevis connection of the reach arm to the mast 18, whereupon all the major components of the pole setter will be separated for ease in compactly storing such parts on a truck or the like.

The various steps involved in setting the pole are illustrated successively in FIGS. 1 through 3. First, the pole is transported over the ground on the dolly wheels 16 and caster wheel 44 and the pole setter is positioned as shown in FIG. 1 with the butt end of the pole over the hole 13. The projection of the pole butt beyond the carrier 26 is adjusted according to the depth of the hole. Guy lines 70 are desirably attached near the tip end of the pole and may be anchored to the mound by stakes '71 at opposite sides of the pole and disposed on an assumed line perpendicular to the pole and running through the hole 13. Alternatively the guy lines may be hand held. In any event, they help stabilize the pole laterally in the course of its erection.

Pump 65 is then actuated to pressurize the fluid motors 59 and swing the pole carrier 26 and the pole about the axis of pintle 35 until the butt end of the pole abuts the ground which rims the hole 13. Continued application of pressure to the fluid motors 59 will then shift the point about which the pole swings to an axis defined generally by the abutment of the butt end of the pole with the hole run.

The pole will continue to swing upwardly, but about this new pivot axis, and the caster wheel 44 will be lifted off of the ground, as is shown in FIG. 2. The reach 23 new functions as a reaction arm for the reaction thrust of the motors 59 to transmit this thrust to the ground through the dolly 15 which functions as a reaction fulcrum. Moreover, as the pole continues to swing upwardly, the dolly 15 will roll toward the hole 13, as is illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 3, successive positions of the dolly, etc., being illustrated in broken and full lines. Accordingly, the reaction fulcrum of the reaction arm 23 will shift in the course of upward swinging movement of the pole.

The pole is stabilized laterally by reason of the lateral spread of the wheels 1-6 on the dolly 15 and by the guy lines 70. The guy lines will remain relatively taut, notwithstanding movement of the pole, because the distance between the butt end of the pole and the point of connection to the guy lines therewith will not change substantially until the pole is virtually upright. When the pole has reached substantially upright position, as shown in full lines in FIG. 3, it will slide down the hole 13 until its butt end rests on the bottom of the hole.

This lowers the caster wheel to its full line position shown in this figure. Because of the appropriate spacing of the carrier 26 from the butt end of the pole, the caster wheel 44 will remain slightly elevated from ground level, even when the pole has been 'fully set. This avoids any damage to the apparatus.

Chains 29 are now released and the pole setting apparatus may be used again at the same site to set another pole or disassembled as aforesaid for compact storage. The hole 13 is back filled about the pole butt as is conventional.

From the foregoing it is clear that during the first stage of tilting the pole upwardly about pin 35, carrier 26 functions as a third class lever. The reach arm 23 is not part of this leverage system. However, in the next stage of tilting the pole (when it fulcrums about its butt end) the reach arm becomes part of a complex leverage system. Carrier 26 continues to act as a third class lever, but is now primarily effective to exert contraotive force tending to shorten the space between the dolly 1'5 and the butt end of the pole. The pole and the reach arm may now be said to compare generally to the upwardly converging links of a scissors jack connected on pin 35.

The pole setter of the present invention saves very substantially on weight and cost over any other pole setter known to me. These savings are achieved in substantial measure because the dolly and reach arm which are used to transport the pole also function as essential parts of the pole jack. By combining these functions, fewer parts are required with savings in costs and weight as aforesaid.

I claim:

1. A pole setter comprising a dolly having a saddle to receive and support a portion of the pole, a reach arm pivotally connected to said dolly upon a horizontal transverse axis and adapted to extend generally parallel to and beneath the pole in the direction toward the butt end of the pole, ground support means secured to the end of said reach arm opposite said dolly, a pole carrier pivotal- 1y mounted upon said ground support means on a horizontal transverse axis, means adapted to secure the pole upon said carrier with the butt end of the pole extending freely beyond the carrier for a distance at least equal to the depth of the hole into which the pole is to be set and with the opposite end of the pole supported by said saddle on said dolly, power means to pivot said carrier upon said ground support means and tilt said pole into the hole, said ground support means rising off the ground upon engagement of the butt end of the pole with the wall of the hole and said dolly thereafter moving toward the hole and supporting the pole as it tilts toward perpendicular position for dropping in the hole.

2. The construction of claim 1 and means to laterally stabilize and guide the pole during tilting movement after it leaves said saddle.

3. The construction of claim 1 in which said reach arm is removably connected to said dolly and to said ground suppont means for disassembly and loading for transportation.

4. The construction of claim 1 in which both said dolly and said ground support means are wheel supported to facilitate locating of the pole and its setting.

5. A pole setter comprising:

.(a) a movable support,

(b) a reach arm having one end pivotally connected to said support upon a horizontal transverse axis and adapted to extend generally beneath the pole in the direction toward the butt end of the pole,

(0) ground support means mounted on the other end of said reach arm,

(d) a pole carrier pivotally mounted upon said other end of the reach arm on a horizontal transverse axis,

(e) means adapted to secure the pole upon said carrier so that the butt end portion of the pole extends freely beyond the carrier for a distance at least equal to the depth of the hole into which the pole is to be set and with the opposite end of the pole extending beyond the movable support, and

(f) power means to pivot said carrier relative to said reach arm and tilt the pole into the hole, so that said ground support means rises oil the ground upon engagement of the butt end of the pole with the wall of the hole and so that said movable support will move toward the hole and support the pole as it tilts toward perpendicular position for dropping in the hole.

6. A pole setter comprising, an arm, ground engaging wheel support means pivotally supporting said arm at the rear end thereof, a pole carrier pivotally connected to the forward end of said arm on a horizontal transverse axis, means adapted to secure the pole to said carrier with the butt end of the pole extending forwardly beyond the carrier a distance at least equal to the depth of the hole into which the pole is to be set and with the opposite end of the pole extending rearwardly beyond said wheel support means, and power means connecting said carrier means and said arm to pivotally actuate the same relative to each other, said wheel support means constituting ground thrust means movable toward the butt end of the pole as the pole is tilted upwardly upon its butt end by actuation of said power means, and said arm combining With said pole to constitute the sole means for supporting and lifting said carrier means upwardly during tilting of the pole.

7. A pole setter comprising, an arm, ground engaging wheel support means pivotally supporting said arm at the rear end thereof, a pole carrier pivotally connected to the forward end of said arm on a horizontal transverse axis, ground support means for said pole carrier and the forward end of said arm, means adapted to secure the pole to said carrier with the butt end of the pole extending forwardly beyond the carrier a distance at least equal to the depth of the hole into which the pole is to be set and with the opposite end of the pole extending rearwardly beyond said wheel support means, and power means connecting said carrier means and said arm to pivotally actuate the same relative to each other, said wheel support means constituting ground thrust means movable toward the butt end of the pole as the pole is tilted upwardly upon its butt end by actuation of said power means, and said arm combining with said pole to constitute the sole means for supporting and lifting said pole carrier and ground support means upwardly from the ground during tilting of the pole.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 762,490 Parker June 14, 1904 1,597,634 Stephens Aug. 24, 1926 1,837,026 Douglas Dec. 15, 1931 2,327,015 Carlson Aug. 17, 1943 2,701,649 Hallstrom Feb. 8, 1955 2,721,664 Martfield Oct. 25, 1955 2,814,396 Neale Nov. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 358,828 Germany Sept. 16, 1922 370,620 Germany Mar. 5, 1923 948,549 Germany Sept. 6, 1956 

6. A POLE SETTER COMPRISING, AN ARM, GROUND ENGAGING WHEEL SUPPORT MEANS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING SAID ARM AT THE REAR END THEREOF, A POLE CARRIER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE FORWARD END OF SAID ARM ON A HORIZONATAL TRANSVERSE AXIS, MEANS ADAPTED TO SECURE THE POLE TO SAID CARRIER WITH THE BUTT END OF THE POLE EXTENDING FORWARDLY BEYOND THE CARRIER A DISTANCE AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE DEPTH OF THE HOLE INTO WHICH THE POLE IS TO BE SET AND WITH THE OPPOSITE END OF THE POLE EXTENDING REARWARDLY BEYOND SAID WHEEL SUPPORT MEANS, AND POWER MEANS CONNECTING SAID CARRIER MEANS AND SAID ARM TO PIVOTALLY ACTUATE THE SAME RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, SAID WHEEL SUPPORT MEANS CONSTITUTING GROUND THRUST MEANS MOVABLE TOWARD THE BUTT END OF THE POLE AS THE POLE IS TILTED UPWARDLY UPON ITS BUTT END BY ACTUATION OF SAID POWER MEANS, AND SAID ARM COMBINING WITH SAID POLE TO CONSTITUTE THE SOLE MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND LIFTING SAID CARRIER MEANS UPWARDLY DURING TILTING OF THE POLE. 